Lars of the Stars and White Diamond's Court Court
by mrtacomam
Summary: Lars has been travelling the universe with his off color crew for some time now, avoiding Emerald and other Yellow Diamond enforcer. What will happen when the High Diamond's forces get involved (The start of what I hope will eventually become a connected universe.)
1. Chapter 1

Emerald had had enough.

For the tenth time this solar cycle, those blasted Off Colours had slipped through her fingertips, and she was very close to becoming a laughing stock among Yellow Diamond's elite.

"How can a bunch of failures and _organics_ constantly avoid being captured by an elite gem such as I?" Emerald bemoaned. The Peridots and Nephrites running the ship rolled their eyes, but luckily for them their commander didn't notice.

"Um, my lady?" Emerald turned to see her pearl meekly saluting her. "I know it is not my place to make suggestions, but perhaps you should seek help"

Emerald mulled it over for a moment, before stating, "You're right, Pearl"

The Pearl perked up, before releasing a strangled yelp as a gem destabilizor was thrust into her gut.

"It really isn't your place to make suggestions towards your _master_ " the clatter of a round green gem hitting the floor punctuated her sentence. The gem was quickly picked up by a passing Peridot and brought to another room.

A moment passed in tense silence.

"But…" Emerald said hesitantly, "maybe reinforcements would be appropriate. YOU!"

One of the Nephrites yelped as she was called. "Y-yes, My Clarity?"

"Seek out any gem ships in the quadrant of lower status than me." The Nephrite simply nodded and began scanning the quadrant. Emerald settled into her commander's chair as the main hubscreen displayed the closest ships. Her single eye scanned the list, a grimace on her face. Every nearby vessel was either another Emerald or an Elite guard ship. However, as the scan completed, she spotted an outlier.

"What about that ship?" Emerald's voice once again cut through the silence.

"Oh?" the Nephrite selected the ship, its specs appearing on screen. "It's an older model, originally used to cart resources from colony to colony. It looks like it has been fitted with a warp drive and basic weaponry. However, it does not appear to be aligned with Yellow Diamond."

"Most likely a group of Blue Diamond's gems who wandered to far from Homeworld." Emerald said, rolling her eye. "Never once have I met a competent gem under her control, but they'll do. Hail them."

The Nephrite looked hesitant, but, after seeing the previous poofing, did as she was told.

Static filled the screen for a moment before a bright green gem and chest filled the screen.

"Huh?" the nasally voice of a Peridot rang out, "Oh, of course, someone chooses now to hail us." The gem stepped back, revealing a standard Peridot. Her triangular gem laid on her chest where most gems display their allegiance.

"This is Peridot facet 4K1, cut G72-n, of the ship _Symphonia_. The captain of our vessel is not in at the moment, but I have been deputized to field her messages. What is the purpose of your transmission?"

Quick, succinct, and to the point. A proper Peridot.

"Well, your captain is of no concern, seeing as you now work for me. You should be honored that you and your crew is needed by an Emerald. I will require a list of all gems you have on hand as well as-"

"Actually," The Peridot interrupted, bringing a sour look to the captain's face, "with all do respect, I don't think you have the authority to draft this ship."

"Don't have the-" Emerald sputtered, "I am an Emerald of Yellow Diamond's Imperial Fleet! You think I don't have the authority to take control of a rinky dink JUNKER?! Or should my shatter cannons prove my point?!"

"That will not be necessary."

A new voice came from the other side of the screen. It was soft, but spoke in a monotone that made it unnerving. The Peridot, rather than being intimidated like a good little Peridot, smirked and saluted.

"My Clarity." she said, stepping aside to let the new gem come into view.

She was a head taller than the Peridot, hair included, with long, thin arms and legs. She was colored in shades of gray and deep blue. Her hair was jet black and fell to the small of her back. Her eyes were covered by a thin visor, cut to leave the rectangular diamond gem on her forehead uncovered. Despite the air of authority she radiated, the grey gem wore a standard Homeworld Uniform. Standard, however, except for the Diamond of Allegiance on her chest.

It was a Blinding, Pure White.

Emerald had just tried to commandeer one of White Diamond's vessels.

By the time Emerald's life flashed before her eye, The tall gem had settled into the commander's chair.

"This is Captain Sodalite of the star dirge _Symphonia_. My apologies for coming in late; their was a problem with some… _guests_ onboard I had to deal with. What can I help you with?"

"Nothing!" Emerald yelled, before hastily adding, "N-nothing, My clarity. I had not realized a gem as illustrious as a Sodalite was piloting this vessel. It is nothing you must concern yourself with."

"No, no," The Sodalite said, crossing her legs in a manner that reminded Emerald of her Diamond. "You clearly had a reason to hail my ship. What is it?"

"Well…" Emerald started, any bravado she once had drained away, "recently a group of Off Colors stole my Sun Incinerator and have constantly been a thorn in my side ever since!"

"An Emerald can't handle a group of rejects?" Sodalite said skeptically.

"I-i-it isn't JUST Off Colors, My Clarity!" Emerald stuttered, "They're being lead by an organic! A _Human!_ "

Silence.

Sodalite uncrossed her legs and leaned forward. Her hand came to her face and removed her visor, revealing eyes so dark a blue they were almost black.

"A human, you say." The gem's voice had taken a tint of intrigue; the first emotion to enter her voice. It unnerved everyone that heard it. "This far out? That is rather… _Interesting_."

"Um… Yes, I suppose it is." Emerald said

"And you said this human was leading a group of Off Colored gems?" Sodalite continued. Emerald simply nodded.

Silence once again overtook the room. Emerald rather brashly considered ending the comm link before the gem on the other side of call leaned back and replaced her visor on her face.

"I have decided that I shall look into this." Sodalite looked over to the Peridot, who had been standing idly for the conversation. "Peridot, begin scanning this and the adjacent quadrants for any ships that have recently left HyperSpace."

"Oh no, my clarity, you need not worry yourself over vagabonds such as them!" Emerald began before being cut off.

"It's my pleasure, I assure you," the tall gem grinned, bringing a shiver down Emerald's spine. "You need not worry yourself; I shall have your ship returned soon enough. Transmission end." With that, the screen went dark.

Emerald gulped. She just escalated this to a whole other level.

Sodalite looked at the now dark screen, a manic grin forming on her face.

"Did you hear that, Dot?" Sodalite's voice had lost its monotone, becoming almost singsong in delight. "A human and a bunch of rejects rocketing around in a Sun Incinerator."

"Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, if you ask me." The Peridot snarked, her limb enhancers shifting into screens to start going through scans.

"A bad joke, maybe," Sodalite remarked, removing her visor again, "but the punchline might be pleasing to White Diamond, don't you think?"

"...Please tell me you're joking, my clarity." the green gem looked skeptical. "Her grandest of Diamonds surely wouldn't let a group such as this in."

"She let Fulgurite and Sulphur join, and they're both off color."

"Fulgurite is a beast of war that's conquered nations single handedly, and Sulphur has the gift of prophecy; they are useful despite their flaws."

"Well, maybe they're useful too." Sodalite rebutted, "After all, they DID capture a Sun Incinerator. Any gem that can do that must have some use, Off Color or not."

The Peridot scoffed, but before she could respond one of her limb enhancer chimed.

"It looks like we've found the ship. Fresh from Hyperspace." Sodalite grinned as her Peridot displayed the coordinates on their monitor.

"Most excellent. Send a Facet of Cubics at once." she ordered, "tell them to form a radial bubble around them so I can contact them directly."

"Of course, my clarity." Peridot said, punching the command into a terminal beside the monitor. "Will there be anything else?"

"For the time being, That will be All."


	2. First Encounter

Lars was having a pretty good day.

Not only did he get to humiliate Emerald again, but he also got a visit from Steven and Connie. While the kid still could get on his nerves, Lars had to admit he missed the endless positivity Steven brought.

As well as the snacks he brought.

Lars was in the middle of a particularly tasty candy bar when the main console flashed red.

"Boss!" "Captain!" The Rutile twins chimed in unison. "It looks like we're being pursued." "Multiple Targets incoming."

"An entire fleet?" Lars got up from the captain's chair to take a look for himself.

"Not big enough to be a fleet." One responded.

"Each one's smaller than an escape pod" the other finished. As they looked over the radar a series as footsteps echoed from the lower floor. The three looked over to the staircase as Rhodolite ran up, Padparadscha under her upper arm. Fluorite crept up not long after.

"We heard the alarm. Are we under attack?!" The two gem fusion yelled. She quickly plopped the Sapphire into her proper seat as she ran to her own position.

"The alarms have sounded!" Padparadscha yelled. Lars gave the off colored gem a quick pat on the head as he returned to his seat.

"Alright everyone, usual positions!" Lars exclaimed, "Emerald's probably just trying to spook us. This'll only take a couple minutes, as usual."

"Um, Captain," Rhodonite said with her usual hesitance, "I'm getting a visual, and I don't think these are from Emerald. Putting on main screen."

As the monitor flickered to life, they saw a dozen oblong, silver objects. A seam ran along the ridge of each one that was outlined in a deep black. As a few of them passed the sides of the ship, they saw each one had a massive white diamond was emblazoned onto each one.

"It can't be" "This is not good" The Rutiles grimaced.

"Oh Sweet Prism we're doomed!" Rhodonite chimed in. Fluorite simply sunk back down the stairs.

"Why, what are these things!" Lars yelled. Everyone simultaneously looked to the resident Sapphire, who simply sat with her usual glassy smile.

"3..." the left Rutile said

"...2…" the right Rutile said

"...1" Lars finished.

"Oh no!" Padparadscha exclaimed. "White Diamond's forces are on their way!" The gems all grimaced as their fears were confirmed. Lars, however, was more confused.

" _White_ Diamond?" The human asked, "I thought there was only Yellow and Blue Diamond."

"While Yellow Diamond and Blue Diamond are the current dual sovereigns of Homeworld" Fluorite began slowly, "...They are but lesser diamonds... compared to White Diamond."

"White Diamond is high sovereign of the Gem Empire." left Rutile said, which was then finished by Right Rutile, "She the oldest Diamond, has the most colonies, and is the most powerful gem alive."

"If she's so big and powerful, why wasn't she at the Trial?" Lars asked, recalling his introduction to Homeworld. The gems all looked at each other, before Fluorite piped up again.

"White Diamond… doesn't come to Homeworld anymore." she droned. "Not long after the war's end... she left to colonize other planets... and simply never returned."

"She still has sway, though" Rhodonite added, "Back before I came to be, my Pearl half was in the the room when Morganite met with one of White Diamond's gems. She was just a Topaz but Morganite acted like Yellow Diamond herself was standing there." Rhodonite looked like she was going to continue, but a blaring ring from the sensors caught their attention.

The pods had begun orbiting around the ship, evenly spaced so any chance of escape was made much harder. The Rutiles began tapping at their terminal, but it kept flashing red.

"Our weapon systems are being jammed!" They said simultaneously.

"Well that's just Fantastic!" Lars threw his arms up. "What else can go wrong?"

It was at that point where the pod directly in front of them opened up. As the two halves began separating, a series of white and grey shapes were revealed. These shapes began to float together until they became vaguely humanoid, with the two shell halves becoming massive shield arms.

The rest of the pods did the same thing, until a dozen humanoid robots were watching the orange ship.

"I just had to say something." The human muttered under his breath as he covered his mouth. He took a deep breath before steeling his nerves. "Alright, gems, prepare yourselves! I can only assume that they're gonna board so we need to be on our toes." Despite his words, the Off Colors didn't budge.

Not that he could blame them.

The robots began moving in unison. Their fingers crackled with energy, and within moments they began firing bolts of white light at the hull of their ship. The massive lurch caused Lars to fall out of his chair.

"What are they doing?!" the human asked as he tried to get his footing.

"Energon halters, it looks like" Rhodonite replied, the sensors in front of her flashing neon red. "In any other ship we'd be stuck, but right now we have a few minutes before complete shutdown."

Lars sat back in his chair and contemplated his situation. As of right now he had two choices. He could either allow himself and his crew to be captured, or run and risk his ship being destroyed.

The revived human steeled himself before shouting, "Ready the warp drives! We're jumping out of here!"

The Off Colors grimaced, but nevertheless began the preparations. As Fluorite went to prep the engines, Rhodonite began typing commands into her console

"Two minutes to shutdown, captain!" The normal sized fusion cried out. On the monitor, the crew could see their mechanical assailants grouping into a ring in front of them, energy crackling between them. "Whatever you wanna do, you should probably do it now!"

Lars looked ahead at the wall of machines and electricity slowly forming in tense silence.

A moment passed.

Then another.

A loud ringing emanated from the engine room. But still, Lars sat in silence. By now everyone was concerned.

It was at this moment Padparadscha seemed to catch up with the situation.

"We must escape before it's too late!" she cried, breaking the silence.

"NOW!" Lars yelled. One of the Rutiles slammed her hand onto the console, and the group felt as if they were pushed back as they jumped into warpspace. The lights flickered and a quick CLANG rang out upon the hull, and a few seconds later gravity came back all at once.

A few minutes passed in silence as the gems and human caught their breath.

Once he felt he was suitably calm, Lars looked over to Rhodonite and asked, "Ship Status?"

"A few of our systems are rebooting, but it looks like power is starting to come back. As for engines-"

"Now's our chance! We must warp!" The smallest of the group interjected. Lars and the fusion gave her a quick glance."

"... As for our engines," Rhodonite continued, turning her chair to face the stairs. "Hey, Fluorite, how's the engine looking?"

The massive fusion poked her head through and responded, "A bit overheated… but still working."

Lars sighed in relief, "Great. We should probably find a planet to land on and let the ship cool down. Rutile, can you see if there are any in the sector?"

"On it, captain," left Rutile said, turning to her console, while the other Rutile leaned back slightly and asked, "Captain, how did you know the right time to warp? A second to soon or too late and e probably would've been fried."

As the pink human responded, he rose from his chair and cracked his back. Magic or not, humans aren't exactly designed for warp travel.

"That would be thanks to Pads," he explained, pointing a thumb at the unaware sapphire, "Her Past Vision somehow always makes her yell things out at the most uncanny moments. I figured that she'd probably realize what was happening with perfect timing."

"A bold move," Fluorite interjected with a chuckle, having slinked onto the bridge, "... but effective in the end."

The Off Color captain responded with a sigh as he slumped back into his chair.

"I just hope we don't have to deal with any more of _those_ in the near future."

A few quadrants away, two gems ruminated over a monitor.

"Interesting," Sodalite mused, smirking at the Peridot beside her. "Veeeery interesting."

"So, they managed to evade the Cubics." The Peridot retorted, "Any gem with good enough reflexes can do that."

"But you have to admit, you were a little impressed." The Grey-Blue gem responded, looking over the footage they extracted from the Cubics. The entire altercation took place over the course of three minutes, but it had managed to make the Sodalite more intrigued than before.

"I suppose it was a _little_ impressive," The green gem admitted before looking over some reports to look nonchalant. "But hardly proof that they're worth more than anyone we already have."

Sodalite pondered this for a moment, before walking over to a terminal near the room's single door.

"You're absolutely right, Dot." She began, before pressing a button on the terminal and saying into it, "Carnelian, to the bridge."

The Peridot made a noise somewhere between a squawk and a shriek.

"My Clarity, you can't be serious!" The technician had a look of panic as Sodalite walked back over to her.

"Oh, I'm dead serious," She responded with a cheshire grin, "you yourself said they needed a challenge."

"But Carnelian, My Clarity?! Surely there's a-" Peridot was interrupted as the door opened.

A massive gem walked into the room. She easily matched Sodalite in height, but vastly beat her in sheer mass. Most of her body was covered in blindingly white cloak and hood, but a glint of red could be seen beneath her hood.

"You called, my Clarity?" Her voice was higher pitched than one would expect from such an intimidating frame, but it had a gravelliness to it that made up for it.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice, Carnelian." Sodalite began, her voice slipping into a formal monotone. "I know you're not a big fan of long explanations, so I'll keep this brief; I have a group of intriguing individuals I'm observing and would like you to test their metal. I will supply you a transport and the coordinates of the sector they're most likely in."

"And when I find them?" Carnelian asked.

"Beat the tar out of them." Sodalite's simple response pulled a laugh from the larger gem.

"Done." The cloaked gem turned to leave before her captain called out.

"And Carnelian?" she called, "try not to shatter them; I'd very much like to a word with them once you're done with them."

Carnelian chuckled.

"No promises" she yelled over her shoulder as the door closed behind her.


	3. Carnelian

CumioNimon 6, as its name might suggest, is known for its near constant rainstorms on most of the planet. As such, most of the planet is made up of oceans and marshes; not the best for Kindergarten construction or colonization. It was however, the perfect spot for a data transmission tower, which rose high above the marsh trees. The tower was largely left alone, but on this rainy day a group of individuals was huddled at its base.

"Any luck yet?" Lars asked, clutching his cape close to his shoulders. While his body didn't suffer from as many hindrances as a normal human, ice cold rain was still rather unpleasant.

Hunched over the console, Rhodonite furiously typed at a terminal embedded in the massive yellow spire.

"Just another second," the fusion responded, "Luckily my old codes still work." A short chime rung from the monitor and text lars didn't recognize began appearing.

"We're in!" Rhodonite exclaimed. The human captain didn't recognize any of the squiggles on screen, but Rhodonite's eyes darted over them like he would a children's book. The Rutiles walked over and skimmed their eyes over the text as well.

"Any new bounties?" Left Rutile asked.

"Or tech reports on those drones?" Right finished.

Rhodonite was quiet for a minute before responding

"Nothing in the Yellow matrix indicates that our bounty has gone up." Rhodonite explained, before adding, "although Emerald has apparently gone down from a captain to an admiral." That got a chuckle from the group. "But," the fusion continued, "no information relating to us has changed."

"And the drones?", Lars asked.

"Nothing on them either," The fusion responded, her lower eyes flicking way from the screen, "But if they really did belong to White Diamond it makes sense they aren't on the Yellow Diamond servers."

"Can we check the White Diamond servers?" One Rutile asked.

"Will your codes work?" The other followed up. Rhodonite looked at the twins with her trademark nervousness.

"I doubt it…" her lower arms fiddled with the fringe around her shoulders as she examined the monitor. Cautiously, she rhythmically tapped the keypad until the screen changed from yellow to white.

Any form of satisfaction was dashed as the screen turned red and released a high pitched alarm

"AHHH" Rhodonite exclaimed, furiously slamming down on the small control board. After a minute or so of swearing and typing the sirens of the swamp fell silent.

"... Well:" right Rutile said.

"Could've been worse" the other Rutile finished. Rhodonite sighed, her lower arms caressing her upper arms sadly. Lars moved up to the fusion, patting her gently on the arm comfortingly.

"You did your best," the revived human sad comfortingly, "we can always try again at another station."

The fusion sighed before responding.

"I guess…" she managed to mutter as the three and a half rebels made their way through the marshes.

 **Somewhere in the Cosmos**

Carnelian was pretty pissed. In her prime she would have been done with almost a dozen shatterings.

Now, however, she was stuck watching anime with the Cubics.

She and Cubic 193 were about to pick a new show to watch when another Cubic (279, if Carnelian remembered right) began chirping for her attention.

"My Brutality," Its heavily synthesized voice called out, "we have discovered a a breach in the White Diamond servers"

Carnelian quickly straightened herself, casting a long shadow over the command deck.

"When and where?" was all she said.

"CumuloNimbon 6, about 5 clicks ago"

"Ready the warp drives"

Carnelian's wicked grin was audible.

 ***back on CumuloNimbon 6***

Rhodonite was grumbling t herself as she, Rutile, Rutile, and Lars made their way back to the ship.

"There's no need to feel bad, Rhodonite," Rutile said, giving her fusion friend a pat on the back.

"We can always try again at another terminal, right captain?" Rutile finished, looking to Lars as they walked on.

The human smiled and said, "Yeah, don't worry, Rhods, this isn't the first time any of us have messed up, and it probably won't be the last."

Rhodonite visibly wilted at this.

"Aaand, that was the wrong thing to say, OK!" Lars went on, now visibly sweating even through the constant rain. "Look, I just mean, just cause something went wrong now-"

Whatever comfort Lars was trying to say was interrupted by a massive KATHOOM as a large, geometric, blindingly white ship appeared in the sky.

"...Shit," the human muttered as the large diamond rooted itself in the ground. A single pitch black rectangle formed on its surface. Two massive massive rounded mechanisms that were quickly recognized as Cubics exited the doorway, saying nothing.

Then she emerged.

Not much of here was visible. Her uniform was in shades of gray, except for the blinding white diamond on her chest. A white hood covered her face, and as connected to an equally white cape, flowing and evenly colored, with a soft blue at the ends

"Well, well." A gruff voice sprung from the cloak as it came closer, "This is what Yellow Diamond's elite has had trouble with? Pathetic."

Lars' hand went to his hip, where he kept a stone club carved to out of the stalactite he took from Homeworld.

The cloak figured simply laughed.

"Really," she said, a red shimmer coming from her hood. "You think a rock like that can stop ME?"

Lars Stepped forward, grimacing but somehow confident all the same. He began drawing his stone club before a thin arm tapped his chest.

"Lars," Rhodonite's voice was shaky as usual, but somehow a confidence pierced her fear. "Let me save you this time."

"Rhods'..." the human's voice was cut off as the fusion stepped forward. The cloaked figure said nothing at first, but the group could feel that she was sneering under her hood.

"What do you want with us?" Rhodonite asked as she shifted her posture in an attempt to be more intimidating.

"Simply put," the unknown gem responded, "I'm here to capture you. Whether you give yourself up or resist I'm gonna pummel you, so I'd pick the option where I hit you less."

Rhodonite's bigger hand clenched.

"No" it came out as a whisper, but her stance was all the cloaked gem needed.

"Challenge accepted", her cloak shifted, revealing a massive red arm. With a snap of a finger the Cubics shifted and opened, creating an electric field around Rhodonite and herself.

"Rhodonite!" Lars and the Rutiles said simultaneously as they electric pulse came between them and the fusion. The Rutiles stepped back, knowing what would happen should they touch it, but Lars moved forward. However, as soon as his hand came within an inch of the electricity it began to burn and tingle, as if he stuck a fork in a wall socket. He quickly jerked his hand away, having an idea of what would happen should he proceed.

The enemy gem stepped forward, grabbing the clasp of her cloak and throwing it off.

Her skin was a deep red, and her arms bulged with muscle as they moved. Her deep crimson hair, only slightly lighter than her skin, was a pixie cut, which struck the Off Colors as strange for a quartz. She had a round, somewhat plain face, with the exception of a round, red gem with a hexagonal cut where her right eye should be.

"I am Carnelian, an elite quartz of White Diamond's special forces." she began, her gem glowing a blinding scarlet. "And I'd just like to thank you for the beating I'm about to give."

With that, she charged forward, her left arm covering her gem. Rhodonite let out a startled cry as she dived to the left.

Just in time, it would seem, as the moment the fusion hit the ground, Carnelian swung her arm, weapon now in hand. What was briefly a long, red staff of energy quickly expanded until a spiked hexagonal club took shape.

As soon as the weapon took proper shape Carnelian turned, club overhead. Rhodonite again moved quickly. Where she had been but mere seconds ago was now a deep crater as the massive weapon impacted the ground.

Rhodonite rolled to her feet, bringing her thinner arms to her face. She kept them there for a moment before they glowed a soft red. As soon as she saw this she quickly clapped her palms together and flicked her left hand forward, in a way Lars thought was reminiscent to dealing cards.

But what came from her hand was not cards, but a thin red disc. It whined through the air towards Carnelian, who brought up her club in defense. When the disc made contact it gave slightly before exploded into a wave of heat. The quartz was forced back a few inches before righting herself. She said nothing, but grinned wildly as she charged again.

The battle continued like this for a time; Carnelian rushing forward, Rhodonite getting out of the way in the nick of time to throw a disc of heat. But it was abundantly clear that Carnelian was the more skilled fighter; for every attack that Rhodonite sent forth the quartz not only batted it away but counter-attacked.

It didn't take long for Rhodonite to be visibly exhausted. All the while Carnelian had barely a scratch. She leaned against her club, a look of boredom on her face as she scratched at the edge of her gem.

"Look, this was fun for a while, but this is growing dull," Carnelian remarked, shouldering her club, "so let's move on to the part where you go 'poof'"

There was no theatrics to Carnelian's charge as she moved. Rhodonite moved to the left, but Carnelian caught on, shifting as she came close and kneeing the fusion in the side. The timid gem crumpled to her knees.

"Rhodonite!" Lars called out, trying again to intervene, but as soon as his fingers crossed the threshold of barrier, electricity coursed through his body. The human didn't even have time to scream before he fell back, unconscious.

"Captain!" The Rutiles cried out as they rushed to him. He didn't look outwardly hurt, but the shock had taken a lot out of him.

The two fighters looked over at the scene.

Rhodonite silently gasped, a hand coming up to her mouth.

Carnelian laughed.

"I can't believe he actually tried to pass through!" She gasped, "And he's your leader?! Hilarious!"

"Captain…" Rhodonite whispered. She got back to her feet, her gems glowing a soft red. Carnelian's laughter died down as she saw her opponent get up.

"You're still in one piece?" the quartz's hefted her to her shoulder. "I guess fusion makes even frail gems like pearls made of sterner stuff."

"Shut up." Rhodonite's voice had a hardness that made both the Rutiles and Carnelian shocked.

"What did y-" Carnelian began, but stopped as Rhodonite's chest gem began glowing brighter.

"You can attack me all you want; I'm used to it at this point. But I won't let you hurt my captain!"

The fusion brought her upper arms to her chest and, as the light reached its brightest, summoned her weapon.

The Rutiles had never seen Rhodonite's weapons before. Since they spent most of their time in hiding their had never been need. All they knew was that she had at least two weapons; her Pearl's and her Ruby's. The duo imagined that Rhodoite's weapon would be something delicate like her, a sword, or perhaps a spear.

So it goes without saying the giant warhammer was unexpected.

It's staff section was as long as the fusion wielding it, carved with a simple spiral pattern going across it. The head was a solid cube of red-pink metal, an elaborate diamond design etched into both sides. Both the front and back were carved to resemble diamonds, giving it a dangerous point.

As she summoned the weapon, Rhodonite teetered to the right; it was clear she didn't summon her weapon often. She quickly grabbed the lower part of the handle with her lower arm and righted herself.

Carnelian stared at the fusion for a second before her manic grin returned.

"Well, well, welly well well. Look who's been holding out on me." she sneered.

In a blur the quartz charged, but Rhodonite didn't dodge this time. Instead she swung her hammer to intercept her opponent's club. The massive weapons impacted, halting Carelian and knocking Rhodonite back. But the fusion quickly used the momentum to swing her hammer even harder at her opponent.

Carnelian blocked, but the force behind the swing and the pointed form of the weapon dug into the club. With a muted CRACK the top third of the weapon broke off, cracks spiderwebbing down the remainder.

"Lucky hit" The amusement that had been in Carnelian's voice vanished in an instant, her gem glowing. The broken club faded away as she began to summon a new club.

But Rhodonite didn't let her. This fight had been going on long enough for her and she had had enough of this cocky quartz. She quickly flicked a disc of heat at Carnelian's face. She dodged, but as she shifted to the right the fusion saw her opening.

She charged.

A few seconds passed, the only sound the pouring rain.

The Rutiles looked on in horror and awe.

Rhodonite was doubled over, visibly exhausted.

Carnelian looked down at the fusion.

Then the quartz looked at the hammer embedded in her side, the pointed head no longer visible.

Whatever comment she wanted to make was drowned out by the muted explosion of her form being poofed.

The two drones that created the electric field frantically came forward, breaking the barrier. Rhodonite raised her hammer in defense, but the machines ignored her, choosing to grab the deep red gemstone that landed in the marsh.

Once they obtained their boss' gem they rushed to their vessel. Rhodonite contemplated stopping them, but decided her friends were more important. She could hear the ship lift off as she walked over to her friends.

"Is captain Lars okay?" she asked, dissipating her weapon in soft pink light.

The Rutiles knelt there in stunned silence for a moment before Right Rutile responded.

"U-uh, yeah, I think he'll be fine," she explained, "the captain's made of sterner stuff. But Rhodonite, that was-"

"That was AMAZING!" Left Rutile cut her other half off, "I mean, I've seen you make your hands glow but I had no idea you could use it as a weapon!"

"And Rhodonite, you summoned your weapon!" Right joined in, Left's excitement infectious. "I never would have thought you'd use something so powerful!"

"Aw, you guys." Rhodonite blushed, scratching the back of her head with her upper arm. However, before the fusion could get to flustered at the praise, she leaned down and hooked her lower arms under Lars' shoulder.

"We should probably get the Captain back to the ship," she explained, hefting the unconscious human up and leaning him against her shoulder.

"Okay!" The Rutiles called out simultaneously, hooking Lars' other arm over their shoulders.

"I can't wait to tell Fluorite and Pads what happened!" Left remarked as they began moving. Right simply nodded, a giddy look on her face.

Rhodonite blushed once again as the group made their way back to their ship.

 **I'm trying**

 **For the love of God, let it be known that I am trying**


	4. Sodalite Interlude

Sodalite didn't know how she felt.

In front of her were two Cubic Zirconia. She had always thought they looked like bugs; their metal forms banged and fizzed, their massive arms twitched like wings, and the blinking lights of their visors made it look like they had a dozen eyes.

"...And then after that we swept up her gem and made our way back" the Cubic on the left concluded, the glowing lights of its face shifting to Sodalite's hand.

The grey gem looked over to her right hand, upon the back of which Carnelian's gem was delicately balanced. It was a good size for a quartz, the edges smooth and the angles of her cut crisp and dynamic. It wasn't quite as lustrous or clear as it once was, but Sodalite wasn't surprised by this; Carnelian was almost as old as her, and Sodalite wasn't exactly an Era 2.

"...Interesting." was all the grey gem said.

"Interesting?" The drones said, their synthetic voices in harmony.

"Interesting" Sodalite repeated, a bored look on her face. She sighed, flicking her wrist and launching Carnelian's gem forward. The Cubic on the right quickly grabbed the gem from midair, and, giving a quick salute, exited the room. The other Cubic quickly followed.

Now alone, Sodalite looked at the only other feature of the room; a large, ornate computer monitor. The edges were carved out of some unknown material that glittered bronze, and each corner was shaped to resemble a cog. Compared to the smooth grey walls and geometric chair the gem was sitting in, the monitor looked very out of place.

On this ornate screen was footage taken from the ship Carnelian used to go on what should have been an easy mission. The grey gem had paused the footage on one particular image; the fusion's hammer embedded into one of her top bruisers.

"Hm." Sodalite grunted. "Hm hm hmty hmity HM." she jumped from her chair and began pacing the length of the room.

"Four minutes. That fight lasted four minutes." she said to herself. "Saying nothing of that finishing blow, Carnelian has never let a job fight be longer than 2 minutes. Interesting, it is. Very, very, interesting."

At that point Sodalite had walked out the room. The halls were made of polished white metal, but the wall parallel to the door was moored with long, shallow grooves, like if someone ran a knife over the surface.

"I mean, I knew they were more than expected. That's why I sent Carnelian." she rambled as she walked, "but to fight her and WIN?! Prism's sake!"

Sodalite rounded a corner, and immediately stopped at a door to her left.

The door was smaller than average, the rounded top of it coming barely an inch over Sodalite's head. It was a blue so light it blended with the white wall surrounding it, intricate geometric rings and lines embedded into it. What was peculiar about it, though, was the large drops of condensation lingering on the metal's surface.

Sodalite reached forward to activate the door, but before her gem even shimmered the door was engulfed in a light purple glow and vanished.

"Oh, hello, Imperial," she greeted, her voice displaying both confusion and amusement, "training again?"

The gem before her was about her height. Her skin was a light pink, shown off by the shorts and cropped uniform top she wore. Her purple hair was held back with a hair tie, resulting in a Large puff of purple near the nape of her neck. Her lavender eyes glittered like the pink gem on her chest.

"Been pretty boring the last few days" Imperial Garner remarked, her voice smooth as silk' "had a feeling you'd show up, though."

"Of course you did," Sodalite remarked, "look, I don't want to bother you too much, I just need-"

"Hyalite"

"...Excuse me?" Sodalite asked at the interruption.

"You're looking for someone to send on your little experiment, yeah?" Imperial explained, "If you wanna get the best case scenario, I recommend Hyalite."

The grey gem put a hand to her chin and thought for a moment.

"... Best case, huh?" Sodalite said after a moment of silence, "She'll do. Thank you for your… recommendation."

Sodalite turned to leave, but a firm hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Must you go so soon?" the garnet asked, leaning in to whisper in her ear. "You could always stick around a little and-YIPE"

The pink-purple gem recoiled, her hand coming away. Where her hand was and Sodalite's shoulder was a cluster white, glowing spikes. The skin and clothing around them was also white, but faded back to grey as the spikes retracted.

"Thanks, but no thanks," her voice was cold for half a second before bouncing to disturbingly sweet. "Thanks again!"

And with that, Imperial Garnet was left standing alone in the doorframe.

"...What do we see in her?" she said to herself, rubbing her hand as the door closed behind her.

 **Hey Guys! Sorry this chapter is a bit shorter; I'm still getting into the groove of getting out a chapter a month. So here's a little interlude for y'all.**

 **Hope you like it!**


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